MLB Players To Grab Before the Offseason for Dynasty/Keeper: Catcher

As we hit the final weeks of the fantasy baseball season and many turn their minds to fantasy football, there is an opportunity for you to take advantage. It is easy to see and jump on players who break out early in the season, but many miss those who perform well late.

This week, I will walk position by position and look at some players who may have more value than you think and could not only help your team down the stretch but in 2027 as well.

Today, we look at three MLB catchers who look the part and have provided value, but are still underrostered. Looking for a catcher for 2027 or to help down the stretch? This article should help you out.

MLB Catchers to Grab Before the 2026 Season Ends

Mickey Gasper, C, Boston Red Sox

Gasper has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball since he returned to the Majors on August 17. In just 64 plate appearances over that span, he has blasted eight home runs and added four doubles while slashing a crazy .354/.516/.938. Sure, it’s a small sample, but all the underlying data is crazy too.

The 30-year-old journeyman is quite a great story, and after dominating in Triple-A. He has earned his promotion to the Majors. While he does not hit the ball overly hard, the launch angles have made the barrel rate the best in baseball since he came back up.

The average exit velocity over that span sits at 90.5 mph with a 105 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The barrel rate is an absurd 22 percent, and he is making contact on everything. The 95 percent in-zone contact rate paired with a 19 percent chase rate shows impressive skills.

Will Gasper keep this up? It is hard to say, but with what he has shown, you have to take a shot and see where it goes.

Tyler Stephenson, C, Cincinnati Reds

Stephenson feels like he has been around forever, but somehow just turned 30 years old. He never puts together great seasons, but he always finds a way to be productive, and that is the case again this year. While Stephenson has just 412 plate appearances, he has 15 home runs and has a .249/.330/.425 slash.

Since the All-Star break, Stephenson has been on another level, blasting nine home runs with nine doubles across 151 plate appearances. Over that span, he has struck out at a 31 percent clip, but slashed .267/.351/.542.

It has been interesting because Stephenson has not produced good bat speed or a high max exit velocity, but he has consistently hit the ball hard, having a 92.3 mph average exit velocity and a 47 percent hard-hit rate. Throw in ideal launch angles, and you have a near 18 percent barrel rate over that span.

The contact has been respectable at 83 percent in-zone, and Stephenson pairs it with a 24 percent chase rate since the All-Star break. It does seem odd he is striking out as much as he is, but I think a major problem is the low swing and zone swing rates.

Is Stephenson breaking out? No. But since the All-Star break, Stephenson is the third-ranked catcher for fantasy leagues and is rostered in just 48 percent of Fantrax leagues. He is worth a shot to see if the end-of-season success carries over into 2027.

Austin Wells, C, New York Yankees

Wells has not lived up to the hype to this point of his career, with his best season coming in 2025 when he hit 21 home runs and adding 22 doubles while slashing .219/.275/.436. A .711 OPS with a 26 percent strikeout rate is nothing to write home about, but it left Wells in an interesting spot for fantasy purposes.

The 2026 season has been a disaster to say the least, as Wells is hitting below the Mendoza-line and is barely slugging above .300. He does have ten home runs and seven doubles in 341 plate appearances, but Wells has been unplayable.

Something has clicked recently though, as Wells has shown some signs of life in August and into September as he has a .728 OPS with three home runs and 14 RBI in 89 plate appearances. He has earned more playing time and while he is not wowing anyone, in a deeper league, Wells could be a decent add.

Under the hood, Wells has a 105 mph 90th percentile exit velocity since the start of August with a respectable 87 percent zone contact rate. He has done a great job pulling the ball in the air as well as that number sits at 20 percent. The overall contact has improved and the chase rate sits around average.

Is Wells going to be a stud? No. But he’s just 27 years old and has shown some small signs of life which is encouraging. In a deep league, Wells is worth a shot considering he’s rostered in just 30 percent of Fantrax leagues.